Biophilic design framework: A Complete Guide
I'm sitting in my favorite coffee shop this morning, watching the barista water the massive fiddle leaf fig by the window, and I can't help but smile at how naturally…
Why Most Tucson Architects Don’t Get Desert Building (And Which Ones Actually Do)
You know what drives me crazy about working with architects in Tucson? Everyone claims they do “sustainable design” but half of them couldn’t explain why their building won’t turn into…
Why I Finally Started Taking the AIA’s Sustainability Push Seriously (And You Should Too)
Last Tuesday, I found myself in a conference room in downtown Phoenix, surrounded by architects who were debating the merits of LEED certification versus Living Building Challenge standards. The conversation…
Why Most “Sustainable” Luxury Fashion Is Just Expensive Greenwashing (A City Planner’s Take)
Last week my wife came home from Nordstrom looking defeated, clutching a $2,800 Gabriela Hearst bag she’d just returned. “The sales associate swore it was completely sustainable,” she said, “but…
Why I Finally Stopped Selling Sustainability and Started Selling Performance
I was standing in my colleague Maria’s kitchen last week, watching her flip through utility bills with this huge grin on her face. “Sarah, look at this!” she said, practically…
Why Most “Sustainable Architecture” Firms Are Just Selling Pretty Buildings That Waste Energy
Man, I gotta tell you something that’s been eating at me lately. Every week I get calls from folks who’ve hired some fancy architecture firm promising “sustainable design,” and then…
Best Eco Friendly Furniture Companies: Top Brand Review
My client Sarah called me last Tuesday in a panic. She'd just discovered that the "eco-friendly" dining set she'd ordered online was manufactured using formaldehyde-based adhesives and finished with petroleum-derived…
The Reality Check Every Furniture Buyer Needs About “Eco-Friendly” Claims
Last month I had a contractor walk into our showroom asking about sustainable furniture for a LEED project, and within five minutes he was trying to convince me that some…
Green Certified Building Materials: Trusted Eco-Labels
Yesterday morning, I found myself staring at a stack of engineered lumber samples in my home office, each one bearing different certification stamps. FSC-certified. SFI approved. PEFC endorsed. GreenGuard Gold.…
Biophilic design plan: How to Structure Natural Interiors
Standing in the middle of what used to be my sterile apartment kitchen last Tuesday morning, I couldn't help but laugh at how dramatically my living space has evolved over…